According to this AP wire story at the Daily Star website, Plan B (the brand name for one of two emergency contraceptive medications) is on its way to Arizona pharmacies.

True to form, Fry's pharmacies will only be stocking limited supplies. As you may recall, a Fry's pharmacist earlier this year refused to dispense EC to a rape victim with a prescription in Tucson. Then the FDA finally approved over-the-counter sales for any woman age 18 or older.

While there's still an unnecessary and dangerous age limit on dispensing the drug, the FDA decision did remove at least one major barrier to access to appropriate healthcare for women.

Incidentally, Walgreen's is also reporting that they will carry a limited supply because "locally prescription sales of the pill have not been brisk". Well duh. Who's going to go to the doctor after a one-nighter to get a prescription? And most rape victims never seek treatment or report their assault. It's absolutely stupid of them to not carry at least a weeks-worth of packets as demand is sure to go up.

That's not to say that women will be having unprotected casual sex more than they already were. Much to the chagrin of the religious right, there's absolutely no scientific evidence to support that assertion.

It's just that now they have easier access another tool in their arsenal to prevent unwanted pregnancies that would be happening whether the pill is available over the counter or not.

Action to take: boycott Fry's and Walgreens until they agree to carry - and dispense - a reasonable stock of EC.